A conventional printer, such as an ink jet printer, may include an ink supply station and a print head that is movable with respect to the ink supply station. Consequently, a set of long, durable, bendable ink tubesxe2x80x94one for each ink colorxe2x80x94may be used to supply ink from the ink supply station to the moving print head. Because the print head requires electrical power, a set of long, durable, bendable electrical wires may be used to supply power and/or data from the printer electronics to the moving print head.
The present invention comprises, in one embodiment, an ink tube carrier for a printer, comprising: a plurality of carrier tubes, wherein, in a cross section of the carrier, centers of the carrier tubes are approximately rectilinear, wherein adjacent carrier tubes are connected by connecting regions, and the carrier tubes and connecting regions are integrally formed, and wherein at least one of the carrier tubes is a closed tube, wherein a closed tube is configured so that a cross section of the closed tube has a closed configuration.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, an ink tube carrier for a printer is provided, comprising: a plurality of carrier tubes connected by connecting regions, wherein at least four of the carrier tubes are closed tubes, wherein a closed tube is configured so that a cross section of the closed tube has a closed configuration, and wherein at least two of the carrier tubes are open tubes, wherein an open tube includes a slit that runs the length of the open tube, wherein the slit is configured to be opened to allow the passage of electrical wires into and out of the open tube.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, an ink tube carrier for a printer is provided, comprising: a plurality of carrier tubes, wherein, in a cross section of the carrier, centers of the carrier tubes are approximately rectilinear, wherein adjacent carrier tubes are connected by connecting regions, and the carrier tubes and connecting regions are integrally formed, wherein each carrier tube has an inside diameter of between approximately 2.5 mm and 8.5 mm, and wherein the carrier comprises one of plasticized nylon, elastomeric polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), elastomeric nylon, and polyether block amides.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, an ink jet printer system is provided, comprising: a beam; an ink supply station configured to hold an ink cartridge and connected to the beam; a carriage comprising a print head and movable on the beam; ink tubes, provided between the carriage and one of the beam and ink supply station, configured to transfer ink to the carriage; electrical wires, provided between the carriage and one of the beam and printer controller, configured to provide electrical power and/or data to the carriage; and an ink tube carrier, provided between the carriage and one of the beam and ink supply station, configured to house the ink tubes and electrical wires, and having a plurality of carrier tubes, wherein, in a cross section of the carrier, centers of the carrier tubes are approximately rectilinear, wherein adjacent carrier tubes are connected by connecting regions, and the carrier tubes and connecting regions are integrally formed, and wherein at least one of the carrier tubes is a closed tube, wherein a closed tube is configured so that a cross section of the closed tube has a closed configuration.
In a yet further embodiment of the present invention, a method for holding ink tubes and electrical wires is provided, comprising: providing an ink tube carrier having a plurality of carrier tubes connected by connecting regions, wherein at least four of the carrier tubes are closed tubes, wherein a closed tube is configured so that a cross section of the closed tube has a closed configuration, and wherein at least two of the carrier tubes are open tubes, wherein an open tube includes a slit that runs the length of the open tube, wherein the slit is configured to be opened to allow the passage of electrical wires into and out of the open tube; inserting each ink tube of a printer into an open end of a closed tube and threading said ink tube through said closed tube; and opening a slit of an open tube and passing electrical wires of the printer into said open tube.